Friday Fights | The Big ODI Fight - Chris Gayle vs Adam Gilchrist

Today, these two powerhouses of the sport, who showed no mercy on the bowlers, tore them apart to every nook and corner of the park, will clash with each other albeit with their ODI batting statistics to emerge as the ultimate king of hitting in the ring, which always throws up a surprise or two. Let's begin the battle of the heavyweights.

HERE WE GO:

He's the freaking Jamaican boss. Christopher Henry Gayle, intent on breaking the tag of being a slow starter, pounces on Adam Gilchrist using his broad frame and lanky height with an average of 37.83 to take Gilly by surprise as he fails to up his game straight away and found dozing with an average of 35.89.

“Got him, yes!” Imagine Bill Lawry shouting his lungs out in all his glory saying this as such is the sheer brilliance with which Gilchrist uses the uppercut with a strike-rate of 96.95 to down the big man Gayle, who in overconfidence, tries to go on the offensive again but is horribly short, striking at 87.20. 

Now, this is what the crowd pays and prays to watch. Gayle and Gilchrist, who are equal after two rounds, go on a rampage. They are the gold standard of entertainment. Gayle might have failed to connect his punch in the last round but his attacking nature compels him to go for another, however, Gilly epitomizing the spirit of a true fighter hangs in there only to irk the West Indian more who goes for the RIB-CAGE in a full bloodthirsty move. But, despite being off-balance Gilly uppercuts, Gayle. Now, any of the two men can go down as both have taken meaty blows but Gilly goes by a whisker as his average of 36.89 barely falls short of Gayle's 36.99. Jeez, this has set a bloody tone for the fight.

For all the heart, fight, spirit, and resilience that Gilchrist epitomized last round, it has left him bruised. Gayle, sensing the opening, goes for the HOOK with a conversion rate of 31.6% and Gilly has as big a gap between his hands and face as a batter has between his bat and pad when he gets cleaned up, which results in Gilchrist going down in the round with a 22.53% conversation rate.

The crowd has erupted as Gayle has started dancing and why wouldn't he? The Windies opener is on absolute fire and given how much of a social animal he is, he would be the last person to be home-sick as he thrives away from home, which has been the crux of the latter part of his career with him playing franchise T20 leagues across the globe. So, this is Gayle's comfort zone and he throws up an epic cross with utmost ease as his average of 38.42 leaves Gilchrist grasping for breath as all he averages is 35.22.

The crowd is chanting Gayle Gayle for his unbelievable moves; the lanky Jamaican has won four rounds of the first five. All the odds are stacked up against Gilchrist but giving up doesn't run in Australian's blood and Gilly is no different. Understanding well that Gayle is using his power to perfection, Gilchrist with a strike-rate of 102.76 uses his nifty footwork and fast hands, two major components of glovemen to dodge Gayle's punch and lands one right into his face as he helplessly loses the round with a SR of 93.15

Momentum plays an important role be it cricket or inside the ring. Taking inspiration from Gayle, who had earlier gone on a three-round winning spree, Gilchrist with all his might charges towards Gayle, who is snail-eque slow and the Aussie wicket-keeper smashes Gayle left, right and center with a 78.1% 50s in wins to floor the West Indian who has just 55.5% half-centuries in victories for the country. 

Nothing hurts more than close defeats and who knows it better than Gilchrist, who had lost round three narrowly and after that had to suffer in the next three rounds. But not this time, it's again a close fight, Gayle unruffles his best with an average of 35.94 in the big World Cup games, making use of his height, taking advantage of the reach to unleash a hook but he loses his balance, and boy, Gilchrist, very well known for his World Cup exploits UPPERCUTS Gayle into the ground with an average of 36.17.

Folks, what's happening? What has gotten into the gentlemanly Gilchrist, who used to walk once even before the umpire would give him out? This is just maddening stuff, he isn’t even giving an inch for Gayle to bounce back in the contest. This is as dominant as the Aussies team of the mid-90s and early 2000s. Gilly with a 100% per cent centuries record in wins delivers a series of unstoppable and unconquerable rapid hooks and Gayle is forced into seeing stars in broad daylight with just 56% hundreds in winning causes.

After winning the last four rounds on a trot, Adam Gilchrist has left Gayle behind and now if the KXIP opener doesn't fight back, this clash of titans will be as good as over, just like it has been in the Australia-West Indies encounter with Gayle on the losing side, more often than not. But, all this has only inspired and awakened the inner beast of the 6′ 2″ Gayle amid a buzzing crowd, which is cheering for his comeback and he doesn't disappoint his fans ever. He has saved his best for the last and with an average of 57.73, Gayle executes a Wladimir Klitschko's Steelhammer right hand to down Gilly who averages 46.87.

After 10 rounds of an intense fight, some epic punches, unimaginable comebacks, highs and lows of a bout, this is it. Whoever wins this round, seals the bout and emerges champion. And Dwayne Bravo was right, Chris Gayle is a CHAMPION. Gayle not only wins the final round but with ease of a master as with an average of 52.6 in ICC knock-outs, he smashes a powerful short right, yes for a left-hander like him, completely unexpected and Gilchrist is shocked and giving him no chance to come back he then bludgeons his nose with a freaking powerful punch as Gilchrist is knocked out with a rather mediocre average of 36.16 in big games. 

Let's just admit that this was a bout exactly as one expected, intense, passionate, full of kick-ass punches and counter punches, comebacks to remember for a lifetime and a fight that will go down as one of the most entertaining as such was the nature of both these phenomenally gifted players Chris Gayle and Adam Gilchrist. Both Gayle and Gilchrist had their moments and at different times, both looked like getting away with the victory but then it's never as easier as it seems and the bout went right down to the wire but as they say - Cometh the hour, Cometh the champion - and Universe Boss is a champion indeed winning this enthralling and jaw-dropping battle of superstars.